Effect of Sowing Date and Plant Density on Yield and Yield Components of Lentil (Lens culinaris cv. Sistan)

Aims: This study was conducted to study the effects of sowing date and plant density on yield and yield components of lentil cv. Sistan.
Study Design: Experimental design was factorial based on randomized complete block with three replications.
Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out in a personal farm in Zabol, Iran, in 2009.
Methodology: The factors included sowing date at four levels (November 21, December 5, December 19 and January 2) and plant density at four levels (18, 24, 36 and 71 plants. m-2).
Results: The results of analysis of variance showed that sowing date significantly affected pod number per plant and per m2, seed yield per unit area and per plant and harvest index, but its effect was not significant on seed number per pod, 100-seed weight and biological yield per unit area and per plant, while the change in plant density significantly affected all of them at 1% level. The interaction between sowing date and plant density did not significantly affect the measure traits. Means comparison showed that the delay in sowing from November 21 to January 2 decreased pod number per plant, pod number per m2 and seed yield by 15.6, 14.7 and 10.3%, respectively. Also, with the increase in population from 18 to 72 plants. m-2, pod number m-2 increased by 2.15 times and seed number per pod, seed yield and biological yield increased by 11.4, 104.4 and 178.9%, respectively, but pod number per plant and 100-seed weight decreased by 45.6 and 16.7%, respectively. The delay in sowing date as well as the increase in plant density/m2 significantly decreased harvest index.
Conclusion: In total, according to the results of the current study it is recommended to use sowing date of November 21 with the population of 72 plants. m-2 in order to realize optimum yield of lentil in Sistan, Iran.